The SEIU Local 503, OPEU Announcement On The Tentative Agreement Covering State Higher Ed Workers

We are proud to announce that classified staff at Oregon’s public universities have reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) with management! We are proud of this hard-fought win and want to thank you for your support in making it happen. More than 1,500 community members signed our support petition, hundreds of you showed up to our rallies, and dozens of you called or emailed university presidents to voice your support. Folks from all walks of life across Oregon took the time to let management know you stand with the people who make our universities work. We can assure you that your impact was felt at the bargaining table. On to the details...

We secured a 15% cost of living adjustment (COLA) paid over the next two years and a one-time $1,500 payment to each worker prorated on a full-time employee on April 1, pending ratification. This is in addition to step increases and a longevity differential for workers at the top step. In short, this contract helps higher education workers catch up with the historic inflation experienced over the last several years. We were also able to get management to drop language that would have made it easier to contract out union jobs. This win took as much effort as the economics, but we did it – with your help.

Ratification will happen on an expedited timeline to get money into workers’ pockets as quickly as possible. It’s been over a year and a half since our last COLA and these increases will make a tremendous difference – especially for our nutrition services and custodial workers. We’ll update you on the progress but wanted to share the good news.

On behalf of the 4,600 classified staff at Oregon’s public universities, thank you for making a difference and helping us win a fair contract. It was a tough fight and your contributions truly mattered. We are grateful for your solidarity and support and remain committed to helping other workers win the contracts they’ve earned.

Keep up to date with us at our SEIU 503 Higher Education website here: https://www2.seiu503.org/e/171302/-involved-bargaining-highered-/2ynrxz/677344214/h/zk_ioPYRkGNy1kk4RTE2wfFaNG8Wux_AG37g_Nwqrrs

With much gratitude,

SEIU 503 Higher Ed Bargaining Team

Ashley Wase (PSU), Colleen Martin-Low (SOU), Darryn Stevens (OIT), Jo Hickerson (EOU), Johnny Earl, Chair (UO), Louie Vidmar (UO), Mark Dunbar (OSU), and Samantha Brubaker (WOU)

SEIU Local 503, OPEU has a tentatve agreement covering state higher ed staff

An announcement from SEIU Local 503, OPEU today contains the following good news. Worker labor and community solidarity ws clearly a party of this win. We can support one another---and support makes all of the difference!

Thanks to the incredible power workers have been building on our campuses—signing strike pledges, practice picketing, rallying, delivering our petitions to administration, and more—we have moved management to come to a tentative agreement that includes historic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), protects our contracting out language, moves us forward on building our union, and a $1,500 one-time payment in our April paychecks (prorated by FTE).

More details will be shared soon, but here are the headlines:

15% COLAs in the next two years
$1,500 one-time payment in our April paychecks
No takeaways on contracting out language

None of this goes into effect before union members vote to ratify the agreement. We will share more information about ratification votes in the days to come.

Remember, we fought to protect our health insurance and steps in the agreement that members voted to ratify in 2022.

Only members can vote in the ratification – if you aren’t a member, join today!

In Solidarity,

SEIU 503 Higher Ed Bargaining Team
Ashley Wase (PSU), Colleen Martin-Low (SOU), Darryn Stevens (OIT), Jo Hickerson (EOU), Johnny Earl, Chair (UO), Louie Vidmar (UO), Mark Dunbar (OSU), and Samantha Brubaker (WOU)

From the front lines of the fight to win a union contract for state higher ed classified staff

 

Solidarity needed now, a few learning opportunities, and some quick labor news

CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. delivered the keynote address

at the University of Michigan’s Black Men in Unions Conference.

Read about it here.

Teamsters Local 223 & Eugene/Springfield Solidarity Network

stands in solidarity with Oregon Nurses Association! Photo from Tizoc

Arenas.

From a press release signed by Johnny Earl, SEIU 503 Higher Ed Bargaining Team Chair and
Custodial Coordinator, University of Oregon:

Here are some more ways you can help:

1. Send an email to the University Presidents asking them to settle a fair contract with classified workers and to tell management’s bargaining team to stop their hardball tactics at the negotiating table. (Click here for a list of the president’s email addresses.) If you have questions, please ask Len Norwitz at norwitzL@seiu503.org.

2. Attend one of the action the list below next week. If you can attend any of these, we would love to have your support. Please wear purple if you can, but if you can’t we’d still love to see you there. To RSVP or to get more information, email Len Norwitz at norwitzl@seiu503.org.

Come to Western Oregon University (Monmouth) on Thursday, February 22nd, from 11 am to 1 pm to help distribute flyers and have conversations with the campus community and students. And participate as we deliver our support petitions. Get oriented/meet at the Werner University Center on North Monmouth Ave.

Come to Portland State University (Portland) Smith Memorial Student Union on Wednesday, February 21st, from 9:30 to 11:30 am for an open campus strategic planning session hosted by President Ann Cudd.

Come to Oregon State University (Corvallis) McNary Dining Center on Friday, February 23rd, from 11 to 11:30 am and be a part of our delegation – “OSU cannot ignore us!” - to the Annual UHDS Soup-Challenge event that is open to the community.

Come to the University of Oregon (Eugene) EU Ampitheatre on Monday, February 26th, from noon to 1 pm and be a part of the gathering and delegation to the President’s office - “We will not be ignored”.

Southern Oregon University (Ashland) - 2/26 – Event info TBD

Oregon Institute of Technology (Klamath Falls) - 2/26 – Event info TBD

Eastern Oregon University (La Grande) - 2/26 – Event info TBD

We appreciate your continued support for our Higher Ed members and thank you in advance for seeing this through to a fair contract.

From Portland Jobs with Justice:

On Monday, the editorial staff of the Portland Mercury, The Stranger, EverOut Portland, Bold Type Tickets and across Index Media have announced they have joined together to form the Index Media Union, as members of the Pacific NW Newspaper Guild! JWJ was thrilled to hear about this new union at our most recent Steering Committee meeting, as all workers deserve a union! We strongly urge management at Index Media to voluntarily recognize the union in order to proceed swiftly to negotiating a fair first contract! You can find JWJ's letter of support, here!

Share their announcements over Instagram and Twitter, and give them a follow, too!

Please join the Oregon Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, JWJ's Portland Rising, and the SEIU-AFRAM Caucus for a special Black History Month Movie night! It will feature two short films and a special presentation moderated by Vinnie Blanco Jr.:

Travis Nelson, Representative, House District 44 will talk on health care inequities and efforts to create a new health care system, and

Sarina Roher, Secretary-Treasurer, Oregon AFL-CIO will talk on bargaining challenges for health care unions and the challenges of being a health care worker.

Thursday, February 29 from 7 - 9pm
SEIU Local 503 (525 NE Oregon St Portland OR 97232)
Masks encouraged!Join Coalition of Black Trade Unionists for great Black History Month programming all month, including the 2/15 Health Forum (on Zoom.) Find more at this link!

 

Get the truth and gain an understanding on AP African American studies here.

All of the members of the Georgia State Senate Democratic Caucus wore red bandanas last week in solidarity with CWA members who are leading the fight against an anti-union bill. The bill would make companies that respect their workers’ right to form unions through voluntary recognition ineligible for state economic incentives. (Photo and text from CWA)

My heart was troubled to learn this morning that Remington Arms is moving from New York to Georgia and that our United Mine Workers of America will be losing about 300 members as this move takes place. Perhaps Remington workers will go union in Georgia. 

A very special Black History Month Movie Night & Discussion will be presented by CBTU, Portland Rising, and SEIU AFRAM on Feb. 29

The Oregon Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) is pleased to announce a very special 2024 Black History Month Movie Night presented by CBTU, Portland Rising, and SEIU AFRAM (African American Caucus). We hope you will join us and let others know about the program. Please forward this post to others.

Thursday, Feb. 29 from 7-9 pm
SEIU Local 503 Office
525 NE Oregon Street, Portland 97232

The program will focus on the intersections of black history with labor organizing, women’s work, and health care. It promises to be an excellent night of learning and fun.

We’ll show two short films:

“I Am Somebody” (1970) is a 30-minute documentary about black hospital workers on strike in Charleston, South Carolina, made by Madeline Anderson, a pioneering African American director. As the civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer described it: “This film packs a tremendous punch and is deeply moving at the same time. The fact that 400 black women were able to take on the power structure of the state of South Carolina - and win - is of decisive importance to all of us.”

“The Politics of Race and Medicare for All” offers a brief history on the creation of Medicare in the 1960s

Then there will be a special panel moderated by Vinnie Blanco, Jr.:

Travis Nelson, RN, State Representative, House District 44, will talk on health care inequities and efforts to create a universal health care system, and

Sarina Roher, RN, Secretary-Treasurer, OR AFL-CIO, will discuss bargaining challenges for health care unions and the challenges of being a healthcare worker.

All are welcome. We encourage mask wearing to address the cold and flu season, but masks are not required. CBTU, JWJ and Health Care for All Oregon will have information tables at the event.

Please join the picket lines up at Western Oregon University and at Oregon State University on Thursday, February 8!

Please remember that we will have picket lines up at Western Oregon University and at Oregon State University on Thursday, February 8 starting at 11:30. 

This is an all-hands-on-deck situation, so please attend if you are able.

Please Support SEIU Local 503, OPEU Public University Classified Staff

The following post is a lightly-edited communication from Len Norwitz and Johnny Earl of SEIU Local 503, OPEU concerning the union's on-going effort to win a fair contract for classified staff at Oregon's public universities. We have covered this struggle on this blog previously and we ask that our readers strongly support the union's position and turn out for solidarity actions. For those of us in Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties this means turning out to support the union at either WOU (Monmouth) or OSU (Corvallis) on Thursday, February 8.

Here is the latest message:

a) I want to lift up our Classified worker Picket Training and lunch that SEIU 503 is arranging on the seven Public University campuses on Thursday, Feb 8th at noontime - highlighted below. Most of you have been in recent meetings (this fall/winter) with Classified workers and we really appreciate your support. So come on out if you can and use the link to register below - so we have enough food.

b) I also want to tip our hats to the GTFF-Uof O settlement that came thru. It sounded historic in more ways than one and glad we could lend a little SEIU support to that huge win.

c) We are planning to work with education allies and other friends and labor in campus towns to send small delegations to the Universities Admin offices beginning on President's Day - Feb 19th and running into early March. I will be out to many of you to see if you can join in as we deliver the Community Support Petitions - as we close in on 1000 signers of this message. SEIU 503 Higher Ed Community Support Petition.

The message continues:

You’re receiving this email because you signed our SEIU 503 Higher Ed Community Support Petition. Thank you for your past support these last couple of months! We’re approaching 1,000 Community signatures so please continue to spread the word with sharing the link above. As an update, we are still far away from an agreement with management - as our 90 day economic reopener ended on December 31st and we enter mediation with management of the Seven Public Universities on Thursday, February 8th. We’re using the start of mediation to hold “practice pickets” at campuses across Oregon, and we’d love to see you there at noon time. Please RSVP here: Overview ⋮ Higher Ed Info Picket ⋮ Blackthorn ⋮ Events.

Classified workers from all seven of Oregon's public universities (UO, OSU, PSU, WOU, EOU, SOU, and OIT) will be picketing that day so management can see that we are ready to do whatever it takes to get the contract we deserve--and we're not backing down until we get it. Come on down to a public university near you and join us on the picket line at noon on Feb. 8. Bring your coworkers, family, and friends to help show university management that the community has our backs.

Unless university management comes to the table with fair proposals, this will be just the start of actions on campuses. Presently strike pledges are being collected and plans will be made for future campus visits, phone calls, and written communications to universities. Please feel free to let SEIU 503 Higher Ed Strategist Len Norwitz know how you can help in the future – at norwitzl@seiu503.org.

When we fight, we win!

In Solidarity,

Johnny Earl

Two important union solidarity requests from Portland Jobs with Justice

Update! Higher Ed classified staff to begin mediation with the universities.

The 4,500 SEIU 503 repped classified workers at the Seven Oregon Public Universities are in a very tough bargain. After three months of negotiations the economics of settlement are far apart. They hope you can share news of this struggle with your own members and allied folks, and ask them to take a moment to add their names to this support petition.

Classified workers are the non-teaching campus staff who make the Universities run on time – in academic support; IT; housing; health centers; food services; admissions; facilities; grounds and more. Without the work of classified staff, Oregon’s public universities literally could not operate and students would not be educated. Despite the importance of their work, far too many classified staff struggle with paychecks that don’t allow them to support themselves and their families. Add your name to support the 4,500 classified workers at Oregon’s public universities!

---

Support Progressive Workers Union to Win a Fair Contract for Sierra Club Workers!

Sign onto a public letter encouraging Sierra Club management to come to the table to support the union's proposals to create a contract that:

creates a safe and dignified workplace;

ensures pay equity, pathways to promotion and family sustaining wages;

protects jobs;

disrupts burnout; and

takes care of our community.

Unions and organized labor groups can sign on to this letter here.

If you are an elected official or environmental and/or social justice organization and would like to show your support, please sign on to this letter here.

Two important labor solidarity needs

Support Higher Education Workers (SEIU)
4,500 members at seven Oregon public universities
Fair Wages and Working Conditions!

Classified workers are the non-teaching campuis staff who make the Universities run on time - in academic support; IT; housing; health centers; food services admissions; facilities; grounds and more. Without the work of calssified staff, Oregon's public universities literally could not operate and students would not be educated.

Sign and share: https://tinyurl.com/HigherEdWorkers

Johnny Earl. a custodial coordinator at the University of Oregon and chair of SEIU 503’s Higher Ed Bargaining Team, wrote about this struggle with the following words:

Unfortunately, we have yet to reach an agreement with management and are headed to mediation early in 2024. We still need your help. Please share our petition with coworkers, neighbors, friends, family, and whoever you can...As you know, these workers keep Oregon's public universities open and clean, ensure people on campuses are fed, make sure buildings are heated and cooled appropriately, keep labs and libraries running and available to students, provide student health and housing services, support admissions, and so much more. Without the work of classified staff, our public universities literally could not operate, and students would not be educated. In the wake of the pandemic and double-digit inflation, almost 30% of these essential workers make salaries that are eligible for food stamps. We know the universities can do better. We know these workers deserve better.

In 2023, Oregon’s legislature made a historic investment in our universities, allocating more than $1.1 billion. The resources to address this issue exist. We call on the university presidents to agree to a contract that allows classified staff to give students the support they deserve. Workers need a contract that includes fair wages, working conditions, and respect. So, please, share this petition far and wide to help us win a fair contract in 2024.

Photo from SEIU Local 503

Support Grad Researchers at OHSU ! (AFSCME)
OHSU is shortening their already underpaid and overworked Grad Researchers, and denying the union's grievances

Sign and share: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/ohsu-pay-grs-as-promised-in-the-contract

 

Starbucks Workers United Calls Out The Human Rights Campaign, Questions Raised About Labor & Liberal Non-Profits

I won't pretend to understand all of the issues involved here, and I won't pretend to be a perfect empath, but at first read it seems that the relatively progressive and pro-LGBTQIA+ Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has gotten cozy with Starbucks even as a national union campaign calls on the company to negotiate with the workers where union elections have been held and the union has won and to follow the laws and generally do the right thing where the workers are concerned.

It may help readers to go here, here, here, and here for some context. The impression that I get from reading these sources is that Starbucks is feeling the squeeze from the union and its supporters during the holiday season and needs some goodwill and love from a liberal non-profit to boost flagging sales.

The HRC can't say that they have not heard of the union campaign because it is has been in the news for years now and because non-profits should be investigating who they're supporting before they start handing out commendations. It matters here that some of the most visible leaders of the union effort are LGBTQIA+ and that many workers supporting the effort support a ceasefire in Palestine/ Israel and other social justice and solidarity issues. Why does it matter? Because the HRC and most of its supporters also identify with movements for social justice. 

The union's criticism of HRC can be read as a challenge to the HRC and its supporters: Which side are you on? It seems that the HRC has taken a relatively progressive stand on events in Palestine/Israel, is close to the Biden administration despite pressure from activists, and has ties to other liberal non-profits and political groups. The HRC has won support from some in the labor movement, although I cannot find anything that tells me if HRC workers are represented by a union or not. We frequently hit a wall with liberal organizations that are right on many issues but will not deal with matters of class or encourage their workers to join a union or negotiate in good faith with a union that represents their workers.  

We in the labor movement do not have a perfect record here, but we have some leadership who understand the struggles for LGBTQIA+ liberation from their owned lived experience and we have a base and an ability to do more and better and we have Pride At Work and similar organizations in particular unions (see for instance SEIU Local 503's caucus, CWA-AFA, IBT LGBTQ Caucus) to lead us. 

In any case, Starbucks Workers United wants you to know about "what actual trans and queer workers have to say about their experience working at Starbucks."

The union press release mentioned above reads as follows:

 
We’re disappointed to see that the Humans Rights Campaign gave Starbucks a perfect score on their “Corporate Equality Index” again this year.

HRC seemingly ignored what actual queer and trans workers are saying about their experiences working for Starbucks. Members of our union’s Trans Rights Action Committee shared some of their stories on social media, and give an insight into the many systemic problems Starbucks has with their treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers - especially those who choose to exercise their legal right to organize.



Check out what queer and trans workers at Starbucks had to say, and help us call on the Human Rights Campaign to stand alongside organizing workers, many of which are members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

(Clicking on this graphic takes you to a union Instagram account in the

 original press release.)

Starbucks has repeatedly violated labor law hundreds of times according to the National Labor Relations Board. Companies that do wrong by their workers AND the law should NOT be celebrated as a fair employer.

Amplify the message to demand Starbucks to come to the bargaining table in good faith! As history has shown, labor rights are LGBTQIA+ rights - and you can stand up for your rights if you’re a Starbucks Partner or ally. Get in touch with our union to learn how and start organizing.

See you online,

Josie Serrano
Starbucks Workers United

Note: All graphics and the press release text used here comes from Starbucks Workers United. The opinions expressed here are not those of the Marion-Polk-Yamhill Central Labor Chapter or the Oregon AFL-CIO.

Some photos from the union rally at Western Oregon University today

SEIU Local 503, OPEU held a rally today at Western Oregon University (WOU) in support of the union contract demands. The state universities are demanding givebacks from classified staff. In my opinion, if the union accepts these concessions all university workers, and eventually most public workers throughout Oregon, will be at risk of losing benefits and having to take backward steps in wages and working conditions. The president of the faculty union at WOU gave a strong voice to these concerns when she delivered a moving solidarity message. It was gratifying to see many members of the Western Oregon University Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 2278, at the rally today.

The contract between the union and the state universities will not be settled by year's end, and if it is not settled by March then SEIU Local 503's members employed by the universities may strike.

See this article from the Northwest Labor Press for context. 

Union members from Local 503's bargaining team led chants and

 spoke from their hearts about their jobs and their union's demands. 

Oregon State Representative Tom Andersen (D.-Dist. 19) was there

 to support the workers and their union. He delivered a strong message

 of support and framed this as a social justice issue.

Long-time Local 503 member-leader Johnny Earl (University of Oregon

 sub-Local 085) roused everyone with a call to solidarity. That's SEIU Local 503's 

Executive Director Melissa Unger holding the bullhorn. 

 

A union member stepped up to lead a chant of her own that fired up

 the crowd.

Catherine Stearns is a retired Local 503, OPEU member, but she still puts in time

 as a union activist and still inspires everyone she meets. Her union jacket belonged to

 the  recently-departed union member-leader James Jacobsen. Brother Jacobsen provided

 leadership and guidance and a helping hand with good humor in his many years of activism.

He spoke with forthrightness and always came from a place of integrity. He and Sister Stearns 

were good friends and it was moving for me to see her wearing his union jacket. Yes, the sun

 was shining in her eyes when I took this photo, but Catherine does radiate light.